How do I get Outlook 2007 to read .eml files and attachments?

Anonymous
2010-03-11T22:35:16+00:00

I am a web developer working from home.  A lot of my clients talk to me via chat programs like Yahoo Messenger and Skype.  Often times, they send mail messages from a end-users to me over yahoo or skype that are .eml files.  These files describe bugs or other errors that end-users experienced.

I can't understand why I can't read "eml" files in Outlook 2007.  Right now, windows 2007 wants to use windows live mail to open these files.

Is there a third-party add-on that will give Outlook 2007 this functionality?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Apps

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2010-03-12T01:11:33+00:00

I solved the problem for Windows 7 64 bit users and Vista 64 bit users

  1. Open up regedit.exe (The windows registry editor)
  2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Microsoft Internet Mail Message WLMail\shell\open\command
  3. Change "C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Mail\wlmail.exe" /eml:%1 to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\OUTLOOK.EXE" /eml "%1"   (do not forget the double quotes!)
  4. Restart your computer

This way, windows thinks that "Windows Live Mail" is still the default program for opening .eml files.  However, we changed the registry so that instead of opening Windows Live Mail, we are opening OUTLOOK.EXE.  What I mean is that if you opened the control panel, clicked on Default Programs and associated .eml files with Windows Live Mail, we've tricked out the registry so that it will open outlook instead--even though Windows still says it is associated with Windows Live.  Confusing, I know.

The best analogy are those old commercials where "We've secretly changed Lisa's favorite detergent with new all temperature Cheer!"  In this case we secretly changed Windows Live Mail with Outlook when it comes to opening .eml attachments.

Anyhow, this trick worked for me.  I can open .eml files just by double-clicking on them.  You can always change things back if you decide to switch to Windows Live.

Was this answer helpful?

10+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

47 additional answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2014-03-06T11:10:53+00:00

    Created my own reg-file for windows 64-bit systems:

    Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.eml\OpenWithProgids]

    "Outlook.File.eml"=""

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Outlook.File.eml\shell\Open\command]

    @="C:\PROGRA~2\MICROS~1\Office12\OUTLOOK.EXE /eml "%1""

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2014-02-24T21:24:32+00:00

    Hello,

     I know you asked this awhile ago but this is how I resolved that error.

    1. searched for windows updates (I had checked the version of office that was installed and found it was the original and none of the SPs were installed)
    2.  installed all that had to do with MS office (SP3 was listed) and rebooted.

    *NOTE* No error occurred but I was still unable to open .eml files correctly. It would open a new outlook message and put the .eml as an attachment

    1.  Had the user log in (seems to be a per user thing), did the reg fix provided above

    (1. First, Right click on the .EML file and make sure Outlook is the Default program to open the file

    1. Go To Start
    2. Search REGEDIT
    3. Find Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\eml_auto_file\shell\open\command
    4. Change the default value to "c:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\outlook.exe" /eml "%1"
    5. Find Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Microsoft Intenet Mail Message\shell\open\command
    6. Change the default value to "c:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\outlook.exe" /eml "%1"
    7. Now you should be able to open .EML files in Windows 7 32bit systems running Outlook 2007, )

    The user was then able to open .eml documents.

    Good Luck!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Diane Poremsky MVP 17,541 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2014-01-06T21:52:59+00:00

    Do you get any error messages? Do they open if you double click on them on the hard drive?

    They *should* open with out installing additional software to convert them. (and if you have the old computer available, you can export to a pst from OE or Windows Live Mail.)

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2014-01-06T10:27:17+00:00

    You can simply do it by converting your eml files in PST, so that you can read those files in your Outlook 2007 environment.

    Download the tool from here http://download.cnet.com/Birdie-EML-to-PST-Converter/3000-2369_4-75275300.html?tag=mncol;7

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments